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Glastonbury 22

Idles are a comedy act, right?

Not at all IMO. There’s a proper art-rock/protest-rock aspect to them. An interesting and very intelligent band. I’ve got none of their albums, which I should really correct. There was a limited edition of the first album, Brutalism (Discogs), with the vocalist’s mother’s late ashes pressed into the vinyl mix. Done with huge respect too (I’ve not seen any live footage where he doesn’t refer to his mother, who was a nurse). They are the real deal for sure.
 
Idles are a comedy act, right?

I'm always kind of in two minds about Idles. This review from The Quietus expresses something close to how I feel.

IDLES and other folk who followed in the footsteps of Sleaford Mods and Fat White Family have been praised for challenging masculinity. But to do this in such a routinely chest-beating way seems self-defeating. In the post-punk years, Glasgow-based bands like Orange Juice reacted against the overt machismo of their city (and wider culture in general) by making music and dressing in a way that was radically gentle, an "exaggerated wimpiness" as Simon Reynolds called it. That seems a cleverer and probably more productive and inclusive way to defy macho nonsense than stripping down to your briefs (as moustachioed IDLES guitarist Mark Bowen does at every opportunity), chanting like a hooligan (Talbot's default mode) and writing songs so generically bellowing they could be filed under Sham 69.

https://thequietus.com/articles/28899-idles-ultra-mono-review
 
I had no idea about Derrick May. I should perhaps point out that my former boss just knew him vaguely when he was in college and worked in studios and as a guitar player to pay his bills.

Looking forward to Mitski tonight whom I love despite not being a huge fan of the last album.
 

I've been following both bands for quite a few years, seen both live a number of times. Reminds me of the Oasis<>Blur 'feud' of the 90s, i.e. I'm not entirely convinced. I remember a tweet from Jason W a month or two ago promoting a festival as having a great line-up, and he referenced Idles in that.

I'm not convinced by the Quietus quote. Despite the superficial presentation of both bands, they each have a fairly camp style much of the time. Both bands (but Idles win this by some distance) generate a huge amount of energy at their gigs.
 
Just seen some of Billie Eilish, didn't see any evidence of miming. I guess the backing tracks and vocals are programmed, but she was certainly singing the lead vocal.
 
I'm always kind of in two minds about Idles. This review from The Quietus expresses something close to how I feel.

IDLES and other folk who followed in the footsteps of Sleaford Mods and Fat White Family have been praised for challenging masculinity. But to do this in such a routinely chest-beating way seems self-defeating. In the post-punk years, Glasgow-based bands like Orange Juice reacted against the overt machismo of their city (and wider culture in general) by making music and dressing in a way that was radically gentle, an "exaggerated wimpiness" as Simon Reynolds called it. That seems a cleverer and probably more productive and inclusive way to defy macho nonsense than stripping down to your briefs (as moustachioed IDLES guitarist Mark Bowen does at every opportunity), chanting like a hooligan (Talbot's default mode) and writing songs so generically bellowing they could be filed under Sham 69.

https://thequietus.com/articles/28899-idles-ultra-mono-review
I first heard them inadvertently as they were playing at a festival on the Downs and though we couldn’t see them behind a high security fence, we could hear them. They just sounded ‘shouty’. Then when I actually saw them on TV at Glastonbury last night, I thought they were taking the mick in a sort of Captain Sensible/Damned way.
 
Just got in after a long day in the car.. and straight into Big Thief (and a large cold strong drink!). Only heard a little of them before now...another one to add to the 'investigate further' list, really enjoying it.
 


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